Typhoon Jongdari hits central Japan, authorities order evacuation

2018 has not been a good year for Japan as the country faces one disaster after another in rapid succession, throwing normal life far out of gear.

From late-June to mid-July in 2018, Japan experienced a series of heavy rainstorms, which left around 220 people dead and more than a dozen people missing. After the floodwaters receded and the Japanese public heaved a sigh of relief, the nation suffered a devastating heat stroke, leaving at least 80 dead and 22,000 affected.

Latest in this long series of catastrophes is Typhoon Jongdari, a powerful typhoon that struck central Japan on early Sunday, prompting the authorities to issue evacuation warnings. The storm has already dumped heavy rainfall over eastern Japan and is moving west, maintaining its strength.

The storm has a wind speed of up to 180 kilometers per hour, and is expected to strike western Chugoku region later on Sunday, which is already suffering from the aftermath of flooding and landslides triggered by rainfall.